AURANGZEB: performances save the day!

Double-role thrillers aren't new to Bollywood but sure, we haven’t seen much in recent. So, in that scenario, Atul Sabharwal’s AURANGZEB does succeed in creating curiosity as what shape this effort is going to take and how! Taking cues and clues from much-enjoyed masala double-role entertainers, Atul positively takes the ‘what not to do’ route in creating a thoroughly engaging gangster-police nexus set in the concrete jungles of Gurgaon where land-mafia, real-estate dominants, cops, politicians tussle over either gaining the supreme power to rule the city or getting their hands dirty on big time illegal money flowing allover. 

DCP Ravikant [the impeccable-the inimitable Rishi Kapoor shocks you with his powerful presence in each segment] digs out a forgotten past to find a twin brother of the son [both played by Arjun Kapoor] whose father is supposedly an uncrowned emperor in dark-world of illicit businesses covered in real-estate silk. The twin brother is now planted in his brother’s spot to help the ruthlessly ambitious DCP in destroying his own father’s empire…but as the title itself suggests the characteristics of the story; do not trust anybody in this brutal game of power & control.

The best things about AURANGZEB are the performances, its ‘fits right in the place’ cast & dialogues that are fresh, meaningful & engaging, even the screenplay gives you an earthy-real location atmosphere to hold but the problem here lies in the story that never comes with a ‘new/ fresh arrival’ tag to it. So, most of the times at your back of mind, you would know what’s coming up next. Another problem is the momentum, things happen at a breathless speed. At first, you might find that exhilarating enough to be in an ‘on edge of the seat’ situation but sooner or later, you become unbothered about ‘too fast to furious’ twists in the tale and gets yourself settled into the backrest mode.

At best, it is a formula thriller with good performances [Prithviraj for instance] that gets its emotions right but the lack of freshness & a sloppy climax kills the thrill. Watch out if you don’t have much to do this weekend, otherwise wait for it to reach you rather than you rushing to theaters near you.[2.5/5]